Page 49 - Driving Commercial Vehicles Manual
P. 49
chapter 3 — basic driving skills
A single-unit vehicle and
a truck-tractor and semi-
trailer demonstrate different
turning characteristics.
A single-unit vehicle has different turning characteristics than a truck-tractor
and a semi-trailer. Each unit that has more than one set of wheels will have a
turning radius and an off-track pattern within itself. The amount of off track
depends on a number of factors including the wheel base of the units and the
location of the pivot points between the truck and trailers (for example, draw
bar connection point or location of the fifth wheel). The longer the wheel
base, and the longer the draw bar length or the farther back the fifth wheel is
mounted, the greater the amount of off track.
Inertia
Inertia affects a moving
vehicle in a curve.
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